Hundreds of families once lived in the B.W. Cooper Apartments, but many of the buildings have not been reopened since hurricane Katrina hit. The Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) plans to demolish four major housing projects--St. Bernard, C.J. Peete, Lafitte and B.W. Cooper--to make way for an estimated $681 million worth of mixed-income neighborhood construction.

Hundreds of families once lived in the B.W. Cooper Apartments, but many of the buildings have not been reopened since hurricane Katrina hit. The Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) plans to demolish four major housing projects--St. Bernard, C.J. Peete, Lafitte and B.W. Cooper--to make way for an estimated $681 million worth of mixed-income neighborhood construction. (Carolyn Cole / LAT)

Hundreds of families once lived in the B.W. Cooper Apartments, but many of the buildings have not been reopened since hurricane Katrina hit. The Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) plans to demolish four major housing projects--St. Bernard, C.J. Peete, Lafitte and B.W. Cooper--to make way for an estimated $681 million worth of mixed-income neighborhood construction.